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Training Your New Puppy - Eliminating Bad Habits
By Tony Robinson, Fri Dec 9th
Anyone who owns a dog or puppy will eventually run into the needto eliminate unwanted habits. While most dogs are eager toplease their owners and smart enough to do what is asked ofthem, it is important for the owner to properly communicate justwhat constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Each type of unacceptable behavior requires its own specificcures, and in most cases the cures will need to be tailored tofit the specific personality of the dog. Every breed of dog hasits own unique personality characteristics, and every individualwithin that breed has his or her own unique personality. Whining, howling and excessive barking Let's start with one ofthe most frequently encountered problem behaviors in both dogsand puppies. While some barking and other vocalizing isperfectly normal, in many cases barking, howling and whining canbecome problematic. This is particularly important for thoseliving in apartment buildings, or in closely spaced homes.Fielding complaints about barking is not the best way for youand your dog to meet the neighbors.
Some tips of dealing with excessive whining, barking and howlinginclude: *If your puppy or dog is howling or whining while confined toits crate, immediately take it to its toilet area. Most puppiesand dogs will whine when they need to do their business. *It is important to teach a dog or a puppy to accept beingalone. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety, and thesestressed dogs can exhibit all sorts of destructive and annoyingbehaviors. It is important to accustom the puppy to being lefton its own, even when the owner is at home. *Always strive to make the puppy or dog as comfortable aspossible. Always attend to the physical and psychological needsof the dog by providing food, water and toys. *If the dog is whining, check for obvious reasons first. Is thewater dish empty? Is the dog showing signs of illness? Has hisor her favorite toy rolled under the furniture? Is thetemperature of the room too hot or too cold? *Do not reward the puppy or dog for whining. If
the dog whineswhen left alone, for instance, it would be a mistake to go tothe dog every time it whines. *After you have ensured that the dog's physical needs are beingmet, and that discomfort is not responsible for the whining, donot hesitate to reprimand the dog for inappropriate behavior. Problem Chewing naturally chew, and they tend to exploretheir world using their mouths and teeth. While chewing may benormal, however, it is not acceptable, and it is important tonip any chewing problems in the bud to prevent the chewing puppyfrom growing into a chewing dog. Providing a variety of chew toys is important when teaching apuppy what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Providing avariety of attractive chew toys is a good way to keep the puppyentertained and to keep his teeth and gums exercised. Scented orflavored toys are great choices for most puppies. The puppy should be encouraged to play with these chosen toys,and the puppy should be effusively praised every time he or sheplays with or chews these toys. Another great strategy is to encourage the puppy to get a toyevery time he or she greets you. Every time the puppy greets youor a member of your family, teach him to get one of his toys. It is also important to exercise good housekeeping techniqueswhen training a puppy not to chew on inappropriate items.Keeping the area to which the puppy has access free and clean isimportant. Keeping items out of reach of the puppy will go along way toward discouraging inappropriate chewing. Try to keepthe puppy's area free of shoes, trash, and other items, andalways make sure that the area has been properly puppy proofed. If the puppy does pick up an inappropriate item like a shoe,distract the puppy and quickly replace the item with one of itstoys. After the puppy has taken the toy, praise it for playingwith and chewing that toy. Try booby trapping items the dog should avoid by spraying themwith bitter apple, Tabasco sauce or other nasty but non-toxicitems. About the author:Tony Robinson is an international author and dog lover. Hiswebsite http://www.dogtraining4u.com contains valuable insightsinto the life of our canine friends.
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